oncology preceptorship and pregnancy

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Howdy Hello,

We're just about to choose our preceptorship areas of interest. I am incredibly interested in working in the oncology unit, as I am interested in working as a hospice nurse / palliative care nurse once I'm actually licensed.

My question...we're thinking of getting pregnant sometime in August. My preceptorship runs Sept.-Dec. I know you don't want to be messing with chemo when you're pregnant, but as a student nurse my understanding is you can't do that anyways. Do you think I can still rotate in oncology when I'm pregnant and do the other nursing related skills (non-chemo skills). Or do I still have to worry?

Thanks in advance. I haven't seen oncology yet, so I'm really in the dark re: what it's all about!

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Specializes in Med/Onc, Med/Surg, Stepdown, ICU.

As a student, you definitely won't be giving chemo. You'll want to use universal precautions when caring for chemo patients, especially when coming in contact with body fluids (it wouldn't hurt to double glove). I had a perfectly healthy baby girl almost 7 months ago and worked as an oncology nurse during the entire pregnancy. My OB told me I was fine as long as I wasn't coming in direct comment with the chemo drugs. I always had someone else spike my chemo. If you're working in a place with radiation patients, keep your distance from those rooms. Oncology nursing is awesome! I hope you enjoy your preceptorship!

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

You won't be dealing with chemo as a student, I hung chemo while pregnant, spiked it etc, these days the pharmacy does that , as above just stay away from the "hot" pts, everyone will be accomodating as far as that goes, good luck, enjoy, lots to learn, great continuity of care and complexity of pt's, you'll learn a lot

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